2025 Cadillac Escalade Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Aside from the low-volume Celestiq EV, the Escalade is the biggest and most expensive Cadillac you can buy. So, since its first appearance as a 1999 model, the Escalade has more or less taken the place of Fleetwoods and DeVilles as the embodiment of old school Cadillac luxury. And the updated 2025-model-year design definitely sells that, while further distinguishing the Escalade from the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/Yukon XL that it shares a body-on-frame platform with.

The biggest exterior change is a new front end that brings the gasoline Escalade stylistically closer to the Escalade IQ and other Cadillac EVs. Like those EVs, the headlights are now large vertical bars, with smaller horizontal daytime running lights just below the hood shut line. At the back, the Escalade still features tall, vertical taillights that vaguely recall the tailfins on Cadillacs of old. For 2025, 24-inch wheels are now available for the first time. The massive wheels complement the rest of the vehicle, which seems to have been styled to appear as big as possible.

Cadillac continues to offer standard-wheelbase Escalade and long-wheelbase Escalade ESV body styles, with Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury Platinum, and Sport Platinum trim levels, plus the Cadillac Escalade-V performance model. The Sport models differ primarily in appearance, with darkened exterior trim and mesh grilles instead of shiny trim of other models. For 2025, Premium Luxury Platinum models add an illuminated Cadillac crest and grille surround.

Inside, Cadillac has done a lot of work hiding the fact that the Escalade shares a platform with other GM full-size SUVs. When it launched as a 2021 model, the current-generation Escalade adopted a screen-centric interior design normally seen in high-tech sedans, not truck-like SUVs. Cadillac doubles down on that for 2025, replacing the already-impressive 38-inch OLED curved display with a 55-inch display that now reaches all the way across the dashboard.

Escalade Luxury base models still come in Uber spec, with Interluxe synthetic leather upholstery. All other trim levels have real leather, though, with semi-aniline leather also available. Like rival Lincoln with its Navigator, Cadillac is also offering curated interior motifs for the Escalade, including Renaissance Red leather with open pore wood trim Jet Black and Sheer Gray leather-and-fabric combinations, and Jet Black leather with carbon fiber trim for the Escalade-V. Our Premium Luxury Platinum test car’s Whisper Beige upholstery and wood trim were impressively finished for a vehicle from a mainstream automaker. It was hard to believe this SUV had anything in common with a Chevy.

Cadillac dropped the Duramax turbodiesel inline-six engine option for the 2025 model year, leaving only the naturally-aspirated gasoline 6.2-liter V8 engine. While the diesel’s torque will be missed, the V8 is still a solid engine, although its 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque is less than what you get from the gasoline twin-turbo V6 in the Lincoln Navigator. The Escalade-V continues with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 producing 682 hp and 653 lb-ft of torque.

All Escalade models have a 10-speed automatic transmission that’s perfectly suited to its task. The double-digit number of gears ensures a balance of low ratios for getting the Escalade’s considerable bulk moving off the line, and high ratios for more efficient (or at least, less-wasteful) highway cruising. The gearbox can shift between these many ratios quickly and smoothly, with no discernible interruption of power flow.

Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard, with four-wheel drive (4WD) optional on most models. The Escalade-V gets a model-specific all-wheel drive (AWD) system that’s designed for performance driving rather than the towing-and-hauling focus of the 4WD systems in other models. All but the base Luxury trim level have an electronic rear limited-slip differential for better traction, as well as a two-speed transfer case when equipped with 4WD. Even that won’t allow the Escalade to follow a Range Rover or Lexus LX off the beaten path; with this platform, GM reserves true off-road capability for the GMC Yukon AT4 and Chevy Tahoe Z71.

Magnetic Ride Control damping is also standard on all but the base Luxury grade. This adaptive-damping system uses magnetic damper fluid for quicker adjustments but, even when combined with our test car’s optional air suspension, it couldn’t hide the fact that the Escalade is a heavy vehicle without the structural rigidity of a unibody platform. The Cadillac simply lacks the polish of a Range Rover or Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, and can’t come close to the on-road handling of a BMW X7. And while its ride quality is impressive for a body-on-frame vehicle, the same can be said of the similarly-constructed Navigator and Infiniti QX80.

V8 power meant the Escalade could at least get up to speed quickly—and sound good while doing it—but when it came time to scrub off some of that speed the brakes didn’t inspire confidence. Cadillac does offer Brembo six-piston front calipers as part of the $6,095 Performance Upgrade Package, which also includes a performance air intake and cat-back exhaust system. It’s an option box we’d definitely check.

As noted above, the three-row Escalade is available in short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase configurations. The long-wheelbase Cadillac Escalade ESV is 13.2 inches longer between the wheels than the standard Escalade, contributing to a 15.1-inch increase in overall length. That primarily benefits cargo space and third-row legroom, which grows by 1.7 inches in the ESV. Headroom and legroom in the first two rows are the same regardless of body style. Seating for up to eight is available in either case, or seven if you opt for second-row captain’s chairs.

Regardless of length, the Escalade offers plenty of space inside, but so do other full-size SUVs. It has the most first-row headroom in the group, albeit only fractionally more than the BMW X7. Both the Bimmer and Range Rover offer slightly more second-row headroom, and third-row headroom is back-of-the-pack. First-row legroom is also best-in-class, but the Infiniti QX80 comes close, while the Lincoln Navigator offers more second-row and third-row legroom than both the standard-wheelbase Escalade and the ESV.

The standard-length model offers 25.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, 72.9 cubic feet behind the second-row seats, and 121 cubic feet behind the front seats. All three numbers are best-in-segment, and an available power liftgate and power-folding seats makes reconfiguring the interior for hauling passengers or cargo easy. ESV models further stretch cargo space to 41.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 94.1 cubic feet behind the second row, and 142.8 cubic feet behind the first row—more than the stretched Lincoln Navigator L.

A maximum towing capacity of 8,100 pounds for the standard-wheelbase Escalade (ESV models are rated at 8,000 pounds) meets the expectations of the segment. The Cadillac can tow about as much as a Range Rover or Lexus LX, and only a bit less than an Infiniti QX80 (8,500 pounds) or Lincoln Navigator (8,700 pounds). However, Cadillac doesn’t offer the same towing features as Lincoln, which has driver aids for backing up a trailer and aligning with a trailer hitch.

With this model year’s update, the Escalade marries old school truck-like engineering with a high-tech interface that feels like the future. The new 55-inch door-to-door display incorporates a digital instrument cluster, central infotainment touchscreen, and front-passenger touchscreen. Climate controls and other functions are handled by another, tablet-like touchscreen below, along with a rotary dial. A 19-speaker AKG audio system is standard, while a 36-speaker version is available, along with an augmented-reality head-up display and night vision.

All of this tech can seem overwhelming at first, but Cadillac made some sensible choices to aid usability. Unlike most of the brand’s electric models, the Escalade retains standalone wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a hard button to turn the vehicle on and off (headlights are still controlled via the touchscreen, however). The rows of icons for things like music and phone connectivity on the main screen and seat adjustment and camera views on the supplementary screen below, are also easy to decipher. Cadillac’s voice recognition isn’t as sophisticated as the BMW or Mercedes systems, however.

The smaller control screen is well-positioned, and haptic feedback helps to ensure that you don’t press the wrong icon accidentally, but we’d still prefer actual knobs to the touch-based on-screen sliders. However, swiping to open or close our test car’s power-operated doors was exactly the bit of high-tech theatre a vehicle like this needed. And since you’ll (hopefully) only be doing this while parked, using the screen isn’t as big of a deal as with other functions. Cadillac’s use of a more traditional steering wheel, instead of the Lincoln Navigator’s small squircle, was also a good choice, and didn’t impact the view of the instrument cluster.

Just like the luxury sedans it has effectively replaced in Cadillac’s lineup, the Escalade also offers extensive creature comforts for second-row passengers. The optional ($7,500) Executive Second Row Package includes a pair of 12.6-inch screens and a center console with dual wireless device chargers, its own set of controls for functions like temperature, and storage cubbies. The seats also get upgraded with massage and headrest speakers, bringing the total number of possible sound-system speakers to 40.

Standard driver-assist features include: adaptive cruise control, blind-zone steering assist, automatic emergency braking (front and rear), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, and a 360-degree camera system. Because this is a GM vehicle, the warnings from these various features are conveyed through a vibrating Safety Alert Seat in addition to the conventional audio and visual methods. Other GM-specific features include teen-driver monitoring and Super Cruise, the automaker’ hands-free driving system.

We’ve tested Super Cruise, which allows for hands-free driving on mapped sections of road, provided the driver keeps their eyes on the road in an Escalade before, and it’s actually gotten better. The system would previously cut out on a specific section of the test route, but that wasn’t an issue this time. However, the handoff to full manual control when approaching a construction zone was pretty abrupt. GM is adding features—including the ability to follow directions from the navigation system—starting with the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq EV, but hasn’t discussed backwards compatibility for 2025 models.

Current crash-test ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) weren’t available at the time of publication.

In a market segment known for gas guzzlers, the Escalade lives down to expectations. With RWD, it’s EPA-rated at 17 mpg combined (15 mpg city, 19 mpg highway). Fuel economy drops to 16 mpg combined (14 mpg city, 18 mpg highway) with 4WD, and 13 mpg combined (11 mpg city, 17 mpg highway) for the high-horsepower V-Series model. This was where the diesel—which returned 23 mpg combined with RWD and 22 mpg combined with 4WD—really came into its own.

Cadillac includes a four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty—fairly generous terms compared to rivals. Other owner benefits include roadside assistance with courtesy transportation, an eight-year basic OnStar telematics subscription, and a three-year connectivity plan for Wi-Fi and in-car apps.

Pricing starts at $90,295 for the RWD Luxury model (all prices include a $1,995 destination charge). It’s a relatively big step up from there to the $99,495 Premium Luxury model, with Sport ($100,095), Premium Luxury Platinum ($119,095), Sport Platinum ($119,595), and Escalade-V models ($164,695) priced above that. Budget an additional $3,000 for 4WD or the long-wheelbase Escalade ESV body style.

Equipped with the Executive Second Row Package, 24-inch wheels, Crystal White Tricoat paint, and a center-console refriferator, our 4WD Premium Luxury Platinum test car had a $132,615 MSRP. While that’s a noticeable premium over the base price, this is where the Escalade makes the most sense. It’s easy to spend similar money on the Cadillac’s rivals, but the Escalade’s well-executed interior will make you feel like you’re getting more for your money. It’s where Cadillac’s full-size SUV stands out.